British Home Secretary Theresa May is to push new snooping powers through parliament in spite of widespread condemnation.

When Edward Snowden blew the whistle on government spying the poop flew off the fan covering many far and wide.

The US was forced to look at its spying along with the UK. In the USA spying on the country's own citizens goes against the rules but in the UK it seems we are all fair game.

The previous Tory-led coalition had big plans to increase snooping in the UK and beyond but those plans were scuppered in parliament. The Lib Dem partners were cautious and against increased surveillance. Labour held a similar view and any legislation making its way from the Commons to the Lords fell at each hurdle.

The plan in 2012 was for a so-called snooper's charter to include:

Internet service providers having to store all details of online communication in the UK for a year- confirmation such as the time, duration, originator and recipient of a communication and the location of the device from which it was made.

They would also for the first time have to store the web browsing history of all British residents including details of messages sent on social media, webmail, voice calls over the internet and gaming, in addition to emails and phone calls.

From the coalition days

Police not having to seek permission to access details of these communications, if investigating a crime.

Police having to get a warrant from the home secretary to be able to see the actual content of any messages.

Four bodies having access to data: the police, the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, the intelligence agencies and HM Revenue and Customs.

The above were deemed steps too far and unworkable.

Deputy PM Nick Clegg and the Liberal Democrats helped prevent the bill becoming law but now that the Tories are in government with a majority one of their priorities is 'snooping'.

Back in 2013 Ben Hammersley, a Number 10 adviser to the Tech City project, said the draft Communications Data Bill could be turned from a force for good into something more sinister under future governments.

That observation remains pertinent.

Thursday the Independent reported May's intentions as the Anderson key official report was published; the "report echoed widespread criticism of the Communications Data Bill, but the home secretary is already pushing to have legislative powers instituted in the autumn".

Theresa May is hoping to push new legislation through before temporary powers expire in spite of the damning report.

"The report echoes previous criticisms that the proposed legislation is far too wide-ranging and puts too much power in the hands of the home secretary — instead recommending that the decision to look through people’s private messages should be made by a judge. The report says that “there should be no question of progressing proposals for the compulsory retention of third party data before a compelling operational case for it has been made out (as it has not been to date)” — directly contradicting the May’s argument for the legislation."

The Daily Mirror reported "independent reviewer David Anderson said the powers should go to senior judges." He said Theresa May should be stripped of powers to authorise snooping on emails and more.

The Anderson report calls for a radical overhaul of how surveillance in the UK is regulated and authorised. A temporary increase in powers in July 2014 gained cross-party support after claims of real and present terorist threats.

David Cameron pointed out that fast tracking data laws in 2014 had nothing to do with the much maligned snooping charter but was instead plugging leaking holes in UK security which resulted from the European Court of Justice striking down existing powers.

However as some in the media asked, why now? That was the state of play for the previous three months so why the sudden urgency? We asked - Does it have links to security changes at UK airports demanded by the USA? - Is that in turn linked to missing FlightMH370?

As usual Cameron was not being honest. The claim that the temporary measure was nothing more than closing a few loop-holes left following an EU Court of Justice decision back in April 2014 was false; in truth DRIP, the Data Retention and Investigatory Powers, went much further.

The sun will go down on DRIP on 31 December 2016 and Theresa May is hoping she will have "legislation relating to the Security, Intelligence and Law Enforcement Agencies’ use of investigatory powers and to have that legislation enacted" before that date.

Theresa May will now try to push ahead with increased snooping legislation but that makes no real sense.

The killers of Lee Rigby were well on the radar of spy chiefs in the UK but that did not help them prevent his brutal murder of the streets of Woolwich.

How many other acts of terrorism are committed by people already known to spy agencies?

They can gather as much information as they want but unless they utilise it well it is a pointless exercise unless the government has another agenda.

May makes me cringe. She messed up so many important dates such as deportation of hate preachers. Preventing justice for historical child sex abuses. But something like that to serve lovely Davy she goes into to full speed and tries to makes sure the bill goes through. No wonder she keeps her post despite of many filings. Another one is the Border Agency now Border Force under her command now but it is no different. Criminals go through,drug alerts get ignored.

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